MADISON — State Superintendent Tony Evers praised Downsville Elementary School for being among 178 schools in the state that received Wisconsin Title I School of Recognition honors for the 2016-17 school year during a special May 1 ceremony at the State Capitol in Madison.

Evers welcomed, from left: Jessica Graham, 5thgrade teacher, Tony Evers, State Superintendent and Mary Henry, principal, to the recognition event. The state superintendent recognized 21 High-Achieving schools and 21 High-Progress schools as identified by results from 2015-16 statewide assessments; nine schools earned both High-Achieving and High-Progress honors. Four schools earned the award for a 10th consecutive year, while nine schools earned the award for a fifth consecutive year.

“Our Schools of Recognition are staffed by dedicated educators,” Evers said. “Their success is something to celebrate; it serves as an example of the importance of schools, families, and communities working together to ensure that every child graduates ready for college and careers.”

“Our students have made tremendous gains with their student achievement due to their never ending willingness of our staff to work together for the benefit of all our students. They’re a very dedicated small rural school staff that many have multiple positions at our school and other sites in our district that keep our school running smoothly. Each staff member goes beyond all expectation to meet all our learners’ needs. Because of our small school size we are able to know our students well and differentiate and personalize their learning to meet their individual needs during our core instruction and intervention time. It is because of this high level of commitment and growth mindset that all students will achieve that has contributed to our success as a Wisconsin Title I School of Recognition honor,” said Mary Henry, principal.